Excerpt:
Italy's interior minister Roberto Maroni on Wednesday said he had "no objections" to a referendum proposing a ban on mosque minarets in the country. "Someone has proposed carrying out a referendum here: I have no objections," said Maroni.
Maroni is a member of the anti-immigrant Northern League party and junior coalition partner of Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's government.
"I consider the referendum, a key expression of popular sovereignty, and although it could be done by passing a law, I think this is less important. It is important to recognise what people want," said Maroni.